Note to editors: Please find attached English and Afrikaans soundbites by Cllr Maryke Davies and Sesotho by Cllr Kabelo Moreeng.
Residents of Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality have faced uncertainty and an unreliable water supply for decades. A crucial solution to this problem lies in constructing a second reservoir near Brandkop, but this remains a distant dream.
This new reservoir was approved by Mangaung’s Council years ago, yet due to the municipality’s ongoing financial troubles and inability to apply for conditional grants from the National Department of Water and Sanitation, this project remains stagnant.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) has consistently raised this issue in Council and engaged through petitions and meetings with the Municipal Manager, Executive Mayor, Speaker, Public Protector, and others. However, no tangible progress has been made. The then Minister of Water and Sanitation, Senzo Mchunu, stated during his speech on 13 May 2022 in Parliament that R37.4 billion had been allocated over the next three years for conditional infrastructure grants to municipalities. Two years later, residents of Mangaung Metro have not seen any of these funds for upgrading water infrastructure or building new reservoirs like the approved Pellissier reservoir near Brandkop.
The proposed 20-25 million-litre reservoir is designed to supply water to 12,000 residents of Pellissier and 5,800 residents of Lourierpark, and it will also support water provision to the Mangaung South Informal Settlements. This need is especially pressing following Mangaung’s Council’s acceptance of a donation from the National Department of Agriculture, Land Reform, and Rural Development to relocate and upgrade Informal Settlements on 30 August 2024.
Other areas set to benefit from the reservoir include Fichardt Park, Uitsig, Fleurdal, Genl De Wet, Fauna, Universitas, and Langenhovenpark.
The Municipal Manager, during a meeting with a DA delegation on 9 February 2024, committed to intensifying efforts to maintain and replace infrastructure promptly, using unspent grants. There was also an agreement on proposals for efficient water provision and the proper utilisation of public funds for the construction and maintenance of reservoirs.
Our commitment to resolving this crisis extends beyond ensuring fiscal responsibility; it includes securing a reliable and fair water supply for all residents. The DA will continue to press for answers in Council on why this crisis has persisted despite repeated warnings about the fragile state of water provision. Additionally, we will engage actively with all levels of government – national, provincial, and local – to turn this long-overdue reservoir project from a mere aspiration into reality.
Support a stronger DA Mangaung Caucus by voting DA in the Ward 18, 20, 22, and 25 By-Elections on 11 September 2024, if you are eligible to do so.